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There are numerous frameworks for evaluating the U.S. healthcare system, including its health and cost outcomes. Within these frameworks there are also hundreds of metrics in use to evaluate the quality of care. A review of the available data suggests that, despite spending nearly $2 trillion a year on healthcare, the value of care in America could be greatly improved. America was 50th out of 55 countries in 2014, based on life expectancy, healthcare spending per capita, and relative spending as a share of gross domestic product.1 At the heart of the quality of care issue is providing evidence-based care for all Americans. On average, across a broad range of measures, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality estimates that recommended care is delivered only 70% of the time and disparities in quality of care between different racial and ethnic populations has remained prevalent over time with little improvement.2 Addressing these disparities and gaps in recommended care delivery through quality improvement is also considered a critical step in decelerating the unsustainable rise in healthcare spending.3 With a mutual interest in healthcare quality, consumers, the government, employers, health plans, providers, including laboratories, and others, are working to evaluate current performance and identify opportunities for improvement. Clinical laboratory test data is among the healthcare services that play a significant role in the effectiveness of care metrics put forth by HEDIS®, Medicare Star, and other quality measurement programs.

In this webinar, participants will have the opportunity to learn about recent trends in lab-focused quality outcomes and performance on HEDIS measures from NCQA’s Vice President of Performance Measurement, Mary Barton, MD. Additionally, the webinar will explore innovations in quality improvement and measurement, and lab-focused strategies to help improve quality outcomes.

Speakers:

Mary Barton, MD, Vice President of Performance Measurement, NCQA
Mary Barton is Vice President of Performance Measurement at NCQA and oversees the development, use and maintenance of techniques used to evaluate health care quality. She ensures the scientific integrity of NCQA measurement and research. She also leads NCQA in winning and executing health care quality measurement contracts for federal and state governments. Prior to NCQA, Dr. Barton worked for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), where she was the scientific director of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). She supported and provided oversight for the methodological, evidence review and recommendation-making work of the USPSTF. Before joining AHRQ, she was an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, where she performed clinical epidemiology and health services research related to cancer screening and prevention in terms of access, test performance and outcomes.

Patrick James, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, Health Plans and Policy, Quest Diagnostics
Patrick James, MD, is the Chief Clinical Officer, Health Plans and Policy, at Quest Diagnostics. Prior to assuming this role, he served in other senior leadership roles within Quest. Before joining Quest Diagnostics, Dr. James served LabOne as Executive Vice President for Pathology and Laboratory Services. He spent nine years with Health Midwest, a 14 hospital integrated delivery system in Kansas City, as Medical Director of Hospital Integration. Dr. James’ experience spans Research Medical Center, St. Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colorado, and National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. James earned his medical degree with honors from St. Louis University. He performed his internship and residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology with board certification at the National Naval Medical Center and post-graduate training in cytopathology with board certification at Johns Hopkins Hospital.